Evaluating Construction Management Competencies of Architecture Graduates Utilizing the PMI Talent Triangle Framework

Abstract

This study assessed the construction management (CM) competencies of Bachelor of Science in Architecture graduates in the Philippines, addressing the persistent gap between academic preparation and industry demand under Republic Act No. 9266. Using a descriptive–comparative design with qualitative support , 106 mentors and employers from the United Architects of the Philippines (UAP) Zambales-Olongapo Chapter evaluated graduate performance against the Project Management Institute’s Talent Triangle framework: Ways of Working, Power Skills, and Business Acume n. A one-way ANOVA revealed a statistically significant imbalance across the three domains (F = 17.31, p < .001). Graduates were rated very high in Power Skills (M = 4.37), attributed to ethical conduct and collaborative habits cultivated in design studi os, but significantly weaker in Business Acumen (M = 3.80) and specific technical tasks such as financial reporting and fieldwork planning. Thematic analysis of employer feedback reinforced these findings, identifying experiential learning, project-based instruction, and stronger industry partnerships as priority interventions. These results extend the Talent Triangle framework to a Philippine regional setting, offering employer‑validated evidence that architecture curricula cultivate interpersonal competence effectively but provide limited development of the technical and business skills essential to construction management practice. The findings contribute an employer-validated competency-gap framework that can inform the redesign of construction-management coursework in BS Architecture programs and support broader policy discussion on aligning CHED CMO No. 61 with current industry standards.